


A Crucial Error

by comradechiaki



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: (eventually) - Freeform, (mentions of), Akamatsu Kaede Lives, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, Backstory Changes, Canon Rewrite, Canon-Typical Violence, Fix-It, Freeform, Gen, Implied Relationships, Major Spoilers, Multiple Endings, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Akamatsu Kaede, POV Multiple, Platonic Relationships, Pre-Game Personalities (New Dangan Ronpa V3), Protagonist Akamatsu Kaede, Reader-Interactive, Self-Indulgent, To Be Edited
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:20:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28786338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comradechiaki/pseuds/comradechiaki
Summary: Danganronpa's 53rd killing game, but Team Danganronpa makes one critical mistake before the show airs. Instead of our protagonist being shoved inside a locker next to a certain emo detective as planned, Kaede Akamatsu finds herself waking up someplace else. What follows is a chain of events so unprecedented it drives our mastermind-and the rest of Team DR-into a wild goose chase as they struggle to regain control.[Irregular updates][Work Skin set to night mode for your convenience][The title may change because I Cannot Make Up My Mind]
Relationships: Akamatsu Kaede & Amami Rantaro, Akamatsu Kaede & Amami Rantaro & Oma Kokichi, Akamatsu Kaede & Oma Kokichi, Akamatsu Kaede & Others, Amami Rantaro & Oma Kokichi, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 11
Kudos: 66





	1. Before the Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Contrary to popular opinion, the concept of "Ultimate Real Fiction" is intriguing to me. And yes, I do realize there's a possibility that Tsumugi was lying. But I *refuse* to believe that she wrote every single action and dialogue word-for-word, completely denying the students of free will. 
> 
> So, playing through V3 again, I noticed just how co-dependent multiple events are on each other. Like for example, when Kaede dropped the shot put ball. The two just happened to have good chemistry and work well together. The Ultimate Detective would eventually share the secret of the hidden door. Kaede just so happened to be the kind of person to put all the responsibility on herself to stop the mastermind. Shuichi was also conveniently too scared to face the truth and admit to himself that Kaede was planning to kill until it was too late, at least at that time. Her plan almost completely relied on the hidden door in the library, she would have never thought about killing the mastermind in that particular method had she not known of its existence. And the vent in that very classroom they decided to wait in was *conveniently* connected to the library.
> 
> What if somebody (the Monokubs) effed up and stuffed Kaede somewhere else? 
> 
> EDIT: Originally, I planned to go with the English localization I was familiar with. But after realizing that five different characters have first names that start with the letter K, I decided to (somewhat) stick to the Japanese original. The only difference being is that I will alternate between Ultimate and SHSL because redundancy is a weakness of mine. I'll also be leaving out honorifics like "-chan" and "-kun," but even that might change. 
> 
> EDIT: As I expected, I changed my mind in regards to the honorifics. I realized that adding them to some characters' dialogues would help readers accustomed to to them better identify who's talking.
> 
> In my defense I'm an INTP that can't make up their mind.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we are introduced to our protagonist moments before she is whisked off to a killing game that will literally change her life.

_I really am just a normal high school girl. Someone that you can find anywhere. My family isn't filthy rich. It's not like I'm a super-famous celebrity either. I wouldn't call myself supermodel-level attractive, but at least I'm not butt-ugly. My popularity at school isn't top-tier, but I'm also not a total loser. My grades are stark average. I'm no genius. Sure, I have a couple of hobbies that I indulge in. Unfortunately, I'm anything but a prodigy. I do admit that my family situation is in need of some major improvements, even though it's not complete chaos._

_I could go on and on as to why I am no different than the rest of the millions of teenage girls residing in Japan. But my utterly mundane nature could not prevent me from being swept away by a handful of unidentifiable individuals popping out of a noir van. I really had nothing to blame but my horrendous luck. Their unpredictable yet orderly appearance reminded me of wasps assembling outside of their nest. No amount of struggling made it any more possible for an escape. Hell, they even did that thing you see in action movies where an unfortunate victim has their mouth covered by a cloth and faints right after._

_Flawed as it is, my life is no action movie. I’m not anyone important, so why is this happening to me? Why not kidnap literally any other girl in the city? These strangers have absolutely nothing to gain from grabbing a high school girl in a navy blue sailor uniform off the sidewalk when there are literally countless other options for potential victims. In fact, I would be more than happy to look the other direction had it been any of the other students heading towards the school grounds for the sake of my own being. Not to mention the fucking audacity they had to kidnap me in broad daylight, as if it were some sort of pseudo-message telling me that I could disappear right out in the open and nobody would blink an eye._

_Not that this was entirely incorrect._

_I wish I could say I had the opportunity to process what was happening to me at that moment. But I was knocked out before I could get a good look at the exterior of the mysterious vehicle, a license plate, or any information that could help me get rescued._

_My name is Kaede Akamatsu, and I am the unfortunate protagonist of this crazy story._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it wasn't already obvious, this is Kaede before her pre-game identity was completely replaced with that of the Ultimate Pianist. I also apologize for the extremely short first chapter, I wanted to flesh out what was possibly Kaede's personality before the killing game, and there is a good reason for that. I promise substance in the next update.


	2. Prologue I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the story actually begins.

_“This is all of us. If this is what ---.”_

_“--- ursine!”_

_“--- first memory yet?”_

_“--- Ultimate Hunt ---”_

_“--- true selves.”_

_“Huh? What am I ---”_

_“---look more like Ultimates!”_

_“Once the seal is broken, we’ll be in the_ **_domain of the killing game_ ** _!”_

* * *

Kaede Akamatsu jolted awake, cold sweat beaming on her forehead. A blanket of darkness drowned everything in sight. She could feel her heart racing at a million miles an hour, but couldn’t understand why. The girl’s sporadic breathing filled the otherwise deadly silent atmosphere. To top it all off, a painful migraine caused the teenage girl to clutch her head and groan in agony. 

The first thing that popped into Kaede’s mind was that she needed to calm down. She can worry about wherever she is afterwards, but at that moment it was in her best interest to return to a normal state. Kaede shut her eyes and began humming a soothing melody. Gymnopedie No 1. by Erik Satie. As the tune filled her head, Kaede’s fingers danced across her thigh, as if she were playing the piano. The girl noticed her headache slowly subside, as her heart rate and breathing returned slowed down. 

Confident that she could take on whatever was waiting for her, the pianist opened her eyes. She was still in the dark, of course, and she realized she had been in a sitting position all this time while probably leaning against a hard concrete wall while she had been knocked out. All she needed to worry about for now was finding a light source. After tapping her foot against the ground a couple of times and listening to the noise that vibrated through the floor, she realized it was tile and that she was indoors. That meant it was likely that there was a light switch somewhere. Kaede cautiously rose on to her feet, not paying much attention to her wobbling legs. _Exactly how long had she been out_ is what the girl wanted to know, but she decided that she’ll probably figure that out. Eventually. 

First, she flailed her arms around her to get rid of any obstacles she couldn’t see. Her left forearm knocked what seemed to be something wooden and pole-shaped, sending a sharp pain in return and making her yelp. In addition, it seemed to her that her legs felt totally asleep and she tipped over backwards until she hit a wall. Kaede exhaled and decided to feel her way around using the walls as a support until she felt confident she could stand on her own. To her luck, she unexpectedly found what seemed to be an unlocked door and did not hesitate to turn it and swing the door open. The musician continued to do this, taking one measly step at a time while dragging her hands against the wall. 

Eventually, Kaede found a light switch. Ceilings lights flickered above her to reveal the true identity of the room she was in. Reddish-pink brick walls. A row of sinks accompanied with individual mirrors. Bathroom stalls lined next to each other shoulder to shoulder. This was a public restroom. Kaede counted her lucky stars being grateful that she was in a girls’ restroom. Seeing the door of a janitorial closet swung right open, she concluded that was where she woke up. 

“Rise and shine, ursine!” Five new voices rang out, causing Kaede to nearly fall over from the shock. A quintet of two-toned stuffed bears not even reaching the girl’s knees surrounded her. For a moment, a moment of silence occurred between both parties so awkwardly that sucked nearly all of the seriousness of the situation.

And then, one of them spoke.

“W-w-why are you here?!” A pink and white bear stuttered. “You were supposed to b-be in the lockers!” Kaede wasn’t sure how to answer that. 

“Father is going to kill us!” A red and white bear shrieked. 

“Ain’t no one gonna die,” The bear in white and mustard-yellow reassured in annoyance. “But youse sure we’re gonna get one hell of a licking. ‘Ta think I got my fur all done fo’ nothing..”

“Who the hell was in charge of placing the students anyways?!” A blue and white demanded. “I bet it was fucking Monodam! Aha, can’t wait to see what kind of punishment Dad has in store for him!”

The fifth bear in green and white remained silent. Meanwhile, the red bear seemed to be looking to its side as if it had a guilty conscience.

“Monotaro??” The yellow bear growled. “There ain’t no talking out of this one for ya!”

“W-who’s Monotaro?” The red bear panicked. “I-I don’t know anyone here with a name like that.”

“You’re Monotaro! That’s the name Daddy gave you!” The pink bear shrilled.

“We could just do that _thing_ and start over-”

“Dumb-ass! We _did_ start over! Can't pull the same trick twice!”

The bears began yelling over each other in a frenzy, with the exception of the green bear that remained stoically still. Kaede could no longer handle the confusion and shouted, capturing every bear’s attention.

“Be quiet!” She exclaimed. She needed to take control of the situation. “Now that I have your attention, you need to answer my questions. Where am I? Why am I here? And who are-never mind, _what_ are you guys?”

“Oh yeah, it seems like we gotta introduce ourselves,” the yellow bear said, and much to Kaede’s surprise, the five bears assembled for a flashy introduction as they proudly announced their names: Monotaro, Monosuke, Monophanie, Monokid and Monodam. 

“And with our powers combined,” all the bears said in unison. “We become the Monokubs!”

Well, at least that’s one question answered.

“And this is the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles!” Monotaro stated

“Ultimate Academy for-what?” Kaede questioned. “I’ve never heard of such a school. You’re telling me this is for real?”

“You bet your ass this school is the real deal!” Monokid argued.

“The Ultimate Academy is an institution created and tailored for the needs of sixteen Ultimate prodigies including yourself,” Monophanie added. “And created all under Daddy’s design. Isn’t he so cool?” The pink bear added in a weirdly lovey-dovey tone.

“You’re telling me there are fifteen _other_ kids in here?” Kaede inquired. It seems that she wasn’t the only person in this situation.

“No shit, Sherlock,” Monosuke retorted. “Wouldn’t be quite a school if there was only one brat, now huh?”

“But sixteen isn’t exactly enough either,” Monotaro said thoughtfully.

“Oh, shut the hell up!” Monokid groaned. “You really wanna question Dad’s plans?!”

 _Don’t tell me these things are siblings,_ Kaede thought. Although at least she got a sense of what this place is supposed to be. Not to mention the fact that this school was designed for SHSL students specifically, a term coined by the Japanese government meant that she should still at least be within the country. 

Even though she is the Ultimate Pianist, the fact that she got kidnapped at all seemed so surreal and impossible to understand. Other than being the best in her field, she was just a normal high school girl. To her dismay, this was the reality of the situation, and not even pinching her cheek with hopes that it’s all a dream could get her out of here. 

“That doesn’t explain why I’m here though, and why I woke up in a janitorial closet within a girls’ public restroom,” Kaede said.

“ _You were in the closet_?!” Monophanie shrilled before putting her hands-no, her “paws” against her mouth. 

“Jesus, Monophanie! You and your damn trap!” Monosuke scolded. “Just stick to the script and ogle over Papa like you always do.”

“Um, Monosuke…”

“What?!”

The bears turned back towards the pianist. Kaede was already looking in the direction of the closet, and the gears in her brain were set in motion. 

Neglecting to hide just how much they were panicking, all of the Monokubs pushed Kaede out of the bathroom. 

“A-a-anyways,” Monosuke stated as he shoved the girl out. “Ya-still-need-to-meet-the-rest-of-your-classmates-and-we-put-your-monopad-inside-your-backpack-it’s-like-a-student-handbook-make-sure-not-to-loose-it-okay-now-bye!” 

"SO LONG, BEAR-WELL!"

And with that, the bathroom door slammed shut.

Kaede tried turning the handle. Locked. It seemed like no girls could go to the restroom anytime soon. Despite yet _another_ mystery to solve, Kaede remained optimistic. Not only was the scheme of whoever is running this thing not going to plan, but she also found a crucial secret lying beyond that door. Whether or not the janitorial closet held the key to her escape would be decided later. 

Curious about the mention of a Monopad, Kaede opened her backpack to find a slim tablet tucked inside. It was the only thing inside. All of her school work, supplies and even her cell phone were nowhere in sight. It would make sense that her captors would confiscate anything that could help her escape. She sighed as she took out the tablet. When switched on, the words _SHSL Pianist Akamatsu Kaede_ were displayed on the LED screen, and revealed a map of the area along with fifteen black silhouettes.

_Perhaps these were the other students?_

Kaede’s focus turned towards her new surroundings. Technically, she was in a school corridor, but the walls were eroded and covered with so much overgrowth it looked more like an abandoned building. The teenage girl wandered from door to door, finding many of the other classrooms to be locked. She also found what the Monokubs called her Research Lab, but that was locked as well. Kaede wandered around aimlessly until finally spotting another human being.

A tall girl with long, blue hair, a dark blue school uniform and glasses stood there lost in thought. There was no hesitation from Kaede to greet the stranger.

“Hello,” Kaede said, only to find herself ignored. 

“Hellooooo? Hey!” Even after waving a hand in front of the strange girl, she just stood there as if Kaede didn’t exist. 

She was so still she looked like a doll. Yet she also looked human, Kaede was having a hard time figuring it what she was, exactly. When she poked the mysterious girl on the cheek, she felt squishy skin under her finger tip. No reaction. Maybe she’s just a really realistic doll? Kaede’s violet eyes began wandering down south.

“I wouldn’t even think of it,” The girl in blue suddenly exclaimed, sending Kaede into the second shock of the day. 

_She looks kinda hot when she’s mad_ was the first thing that came to the pianist’s mind. 

“You weren’t responding,” Kaede pouted, crossing her arms. “It’s kinda rude to ignore a person trying to talk to you.”

“I also think it’s rude to force someone to talk to you, and ogle at their chest,” the other girl refuted, to which Kaede had no response. “But I guess I’ll let it slide, I feel like talking now.” 

But just when the girl in blue was about to ramble about whatever, her eyes widened. 

“Um, are you alone?”

Kaede looked around. “Pretty much,” she replied. “What about it?”

“Oh it’s just...you seem kinda upbeat for someone who was kidnapped like the rest of us. N-not like it’s a bad thing to be positive, but aren’t you, ya know, scared?”

“We are in a scary situation,” Kaede admitted. “No doubt. But think about it. They can’t hold sixteen Ultimate students in one place for too long. Someone’s bound to notice we’re missing.”

“You make a good point. I’m sorry, I can’t help but be such a worry wart.” the stranger chuckled in embarrassment as she hugged her arm. “O-oh yeah, speaking of Ultimates, I think we should introduce ourselves and our talents.” 

“Right,” Kaede replied. “My bad. My name is Akamatsu Kaede. I'm the SHSL Pianist.”

“Shirogane Tsumugi, the SHSL Cosplayer.”

After a bit of chit-chat which consisted of Shirogane calling herself plain and Kaede responding with compliments having no hetero explanation whatsoever, Shirogane cut the conversation short.

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot! By the way, I met one of the other students here, apparently one of them was a detective. Shuichi Saihara I think? I last saw him in the courtyard. Maybe he would know something,” Shirogane fixed her skirt as she prepared to leave. “Anyways, I enjoyed our talk, but I think I should continue to um, help investigate. Thank you for lifting my spirits, Akamatsu-san. I really hope we get out of here!” 

And with that, the cosplayer scurried off. 

Something chimed from within Kaede's backpack. Looks like her Monopad made that sound. After turning the tablet on, she found one of the black silhouettes replaced with an image of the girl she met before. There was also a new profile.

_Shirogane Tsumugi_

_Height: 174 cm_

_Weight: 51 kg_

_Birth date: August 15_

_Chest Size: 83 cm_

_Likes: EVA foam_ _Dislikes: Disorderly queues_

_Talent: SHSL Cosplayer_

_But she was just staring off into space earlier,_ this thought intruded Kaede’s mind. _Suddenly, she needs to leave? And why was she surprised to see me by myself? She was alone too._

Kaede decided not to linger on that topic. She admitted that teaming up with a high school detective sounded like a good idea. She even considered sharing some of the information the Monokubs slipped out earlier. 

And with that in mind, she finally found an unlocked classroom and opened the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somebody's panicking. 
> 
> On a side note: The story will roughly follow V3's script for a short period of time. Minor scenes that would remain the same as the original canon are omitted (or just mentioned), and obviously only key differences will be put in the spotlight. 
> 
> I understand that the prologue is very monologue-heavy and revolves around one character, but there's a reason for that. I promise Kaede will have interactions with the rest of the students.


	3. Prologue II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a new character is introduced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, Mei here
> 
> So...remember what I said about using English localization? Well, that was before I remembered that at least five different characters have a first name that starts with the letter K. Knowing myself, that would lead to problems down the road, so I decided to refer to every character except for Kaede by their last name, like the original version. However, I decided to leave out honorifics such as "chan," "kun," etc. I am still learning Japanese at the moment, and personally it feels kinda weird adding Japanese honorifics in a sea of English text. (EDIT: Yeah, looking over the whole scope of things I realized adding the honorifics for some characters would probably help the readers identify who and who isn't talking, as well as save me a few words from typing. I'm going to be doing some major editing before releasing the next chapter.) But that's one of two major changes I'm making to this fic.
> 
> Another thing, After I release the last part of the prologue I will probably condense all the parts into one or two chapters after maybe a week or so, depending on how long the whole prologue is.

_“You had one job! Ugh, fucking interns..”_

_“Don’t you understand how important it is for every detail to be just right?!”_

_“Huh? In WHERE?!”_

_“You better be sure she didn’t suspect anything!”_

_“This was supposed to be the greatest season Danganronpa has ever had...Well, looks like I need to do some damage control.”_

* * *

Kaede didn’t know what to expect. If she were to be honest, she didn’t know what to look for in the first place. Her whole thought process deduced that if something was locked, it’s obviously important. Most of the classrooms on this floor were inaccessible. Yet, here she is, in one of the few unlocked rooms in the corridor, only to be let down by the lack of anything that seemed of value in sight. 

Other than several vines of vegetation hanging from the ceiling, windows being barred by massive red barbed wire, and an overall ominous atmosphere, this was your typical high school classroom. 

Something shiny under one of the desks caught Kaede’s eye, to which the pianist did not hesitate to get on all fours and crawl under. Once retrieved, her eyes scanned the mystery item. A bronze coin, not anything out of the ordinary. What did catch Kaede’s attention was the design that adorned both sides, a bear that looked similar to the Monokubs she met earlier. The words _Monocoin_ were also scrawled on both faces. Before she knew it, she was flipping, pushing and rearranging furniture, collecting every Monocoin in sight all while not leaving a single desk nor chair unchecked. Kaede didn’t have any logical explanation for her behavior at that time. Neither did she think the coins were in any way related to escaping the school.

 _They just looked neat._

While stuffing the strange currency into her backpack, Kaede took another glance at the interior of the room. It was a mess of classroom furniture. She made a mental note to put everything back in place, despite knowing she had no obligation to do so. Looking to the front of the classroom, she noticed two metal lockers in the left corner. One was swung open, while the other was still closed. 

Kaede could recall one of the animatronic bears mentioning something about lockers, or being inside one to be precise. With a glance inside the opened locker, Kaede realized that there was no way being trapped in here would have been any more comfortable than being stuck in that closet. Upon further inspection, she found an uneven distribution of dust scattered upon each surface. There were patches that were free of any fine particles, almost as if they were touched recently. Did they really lock highschoolers inside these?

Her attention turned to the seemingly untouched locker next door. Just when the teen was about to pull the handle, her arm stopped midway. Kaede couldn’t understand why she was suddenly hesitating. This wasn’t a horror movie. There’s an obvious difference between fiction and reality. Nothing supernatural would pop out of that thing and possess her. Kaede knew that. So why was she so nervous?

A few seconds passed. Maybe it was her overactive imagination borne from countless movie nights scaring her. Soothing her nerves, Kaede slowly inhaled. And opened the door.

Empty.

Simultaneously disappointed and relieved, Kaede let out a deep sigh. _Of course._ Clearly she had nothing to worry about to begin with. Ghosts should have never even made it into her mental list of threats to look out for.

It seemed like her search in this area wasn’t a success. Feeling defeated, Kaede shut the locker door. It seemed like Lady Luck was not smiling upon her at the moment, but that’s alright. She still had so many places to investigate.

“WHATCHA’ DOOOIN-” a new stranger suddenly yelled from her right. A short scream escaped her lips as she jumped backwards. A thin lock of her hair, which usually stood upright in a slight curve jerked itself straight up. Kaede abruptly turned towards the source of the noise. She was met with the sight of what seemed to her a middle school boy sitting on a vacant desk with a shit-eating grin. He was dressed in white from head to toe in what seemed to be a straight-jacket and sported a checkered scarf. His purple-black hair seemed to defy gravity.

Under normal circumstances, Kaede would have been able to pick up the sound of this kid approaching. Emphasis on “normal circumstances,” for the situation the pianist was in was anything but normal. Just seconds ago, she was so engrossed with investigating the classroom that anyone could have snuck up to her.

At least that’s what Kaede would justify.

The new figure seemingly looked dejected. “Aww, your reaction was kinda boring,” he complained. “With the spooky atmosphere, I expected a bit more-”

“We’ve literally been kidnapped,” Kaede interrupted. She neglected to watch her tone, making her sound unusually irritated. 

“-and could you at least wait for me to finish speaking? How rude!” the boy pouted as he crossed his arms, leaving Kaede dumbfounded. 

Collecting herself, she cleared her throat. “You’re right,” she responded maturely. “I know better than to raise my voice against younger kids. 

“Excuse me?!” The stranger now seemed offended, but in a comically exaggerated sense. “You’re like, what, fifteen? I bet I’m older than you! That’s a lie, we’re probably the same age but,” he added. “You should think twice before crossing Ouma Kokichi, the SHSL Supreme Leader!”

Kaede raised an eyebrow. If he was an Ultimate, that meant he was around her age. _But why am I suddenly being scolded? And_ _what kind of talent is THAT,_ she couldn’t stop herself from thinking. 

“Let me guess, you’re thinking, ‘what kind of talent is _that_ ,’ right?” Ouma sighed, rolling his eyes. “Man, why are Ultimates so predictable? Anyways, I’ll have you know I am the head of an evil secret organization with over 10,000 members.”

“Evil...ten thousand..?!” Kaede parroted.

“Mhm! I have eyes all over the world and the stock market dances in the palm of my hand.” He placed a finger against his mouth. “You know, I have connections with some pals of mine that have access to personal information on every citizen in Japan. I don’t suppose you have a few secrets you’re not willing to share...”

“Wait, hold on…!” Kaede replied, not knowing how to respond.

“...just kidding!” Any traces of irritation left Ouma’s face as he threw his hands behind his head. “That was a lie!”

“Oh, of course-” Kaede began to speak.

“...or was it?”

“Huh?” She was confused. “Make up your mind, are you or are you not the leader of an...evil secret organization?”

“If I waaas,” Ouma pondered. “Why would I tell you, a complete stranger? It’s a secret for a reason, dummy. The name is self-explanatory.”

At this point Kaede knew that Kokichi was just messing with her. He reminded her of that one spoiled kid with a smart mouth in a piano competition she attended in the sixth grade. This was nothing but a test of her patience. Kaede had dealt with worse. 

She crossed her arms. “I’m Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist-”

“Figured, with the whole music aesthetic you got going on over here,” Kokichi gestured at her school uniform, to which Kaede placed a hand over her music note-shaped hair clips.

“-and now you know my name. I’m no longer a _complete_ stranger,” she refuted his previous statement. “So, were you lying?”

“Hmmm, I guess there _is_ an organization....but I could be lying about everything else...”

“Ouma, we don’t have time for this,” The piano prodigy protested. “We need to investigate this place for clues on our kidnappers and make an escape route.”

“Ohhh, so that’s what you were doing,” Ouma replied thoughtfully. “Although, flipping over chairs and tables is kinda extra, if you ask me.”

Ah, so he saw that...

“You do want to get out of here like the rest of us, right?” Kaede inquired. “How could you be so carefree at a time like this?”

“How are you so positive we’ll all escape together?” The supreme leader asked with an unexpectedly serious face, much to the pianist’s surprise. 

Then again, the cosplayer she met earlier did ask how she could stay optimistic despite the situation. In Kaede’s defense, she’s staying upbeat for the sake of getting out of this so-called academy. Meanwhile, Ouma was probably pestering the other students and telling lies. Then admitting to lying. Only to deny lying. Rinse and repeat.

“And how are you sooo sure we’re on the same side anyways,” Ouma added. “I know I’m not,” he paused, a shadow cast upon his face. “Because it was me. I abducted you all.”

Brief silence.

“You’re lying again!” Kaede scolded the trickster. 

“Alright, you got me,” Ouma put both hands up in defeat. “Geez, Akamatsu-chan. You’re so gullible.” The short dictator propped himself off the desk back onto his feet and threw his arms back behind his head, letting out a yawn. “Oh well, you did a mediocre job entertaining me, and now I’m bored. Four out of ten, since I’m feeling generous.”

“Four out-what?”

“Now now, don’t take every single word from little ol’ me too seriously. I shouldn’t get in the way of our heroic pianist and her grand plan to break out of here.” Before Kaede knew it, Ouma was already at the door. “Bye-bye, Akamatsu!” 

Ouma left the classroom, leaving Kaede alone with her thoughts. 

Her Monopad chimed once again. A new profile had revealed itself.

_Ouma Kokichi_

_Height: 156 cm_

_Weight: 44 kg_

_Birth date: June 21_

_Chest size: 70 cm_

_Blood type: A_

_Likes: Carbonated drinks_

_Dislikes: Pig feet_

_Talent: SHSL Supreme Leader_

It seemed that the short highschooler was telling the truth about at least _one_ thing. But again, this would have been useful a while ago, back when Kaede wasn’t wasting time trying to figure what and whether or not Ouma was lying about. 

Putting that aside, Kaede found it quite odd that the profiles of each student were displayed only after striking a conversation with them. It’s almost as if someone was eavesdropping on them.

 _Is that why he wasn’t giving a straight-no, that’s ridiculous,_ she shook her head. Even if she wanted to entertain that thought, the supreme leader had already taken his leave. Well, she wouldn’t get any direct answers either way.

Putting those thoughts aside, the girl decided to pinpoint her focus on the investigation. Apparently, she did inspect all that she could within that dreary room. Maybe it was time to look elsewhere. 

The original plan was to put everything back to its original place, with the idea of concealing any evidence she was in here. However, the knowledge someone watching her every move made Kaede conclude that it would be pointless. She still had the rest of this floor left to explore, not to mention an entire courtyard. 

With newfound determination, the pianist stepped out of the classroom. She wasn’t going to let that boy’s doubts drag her down. Rather, she was more hell-bent on proving him wrong. And when they do escape, she would make sure that Ouma ate his words.


	4. Prologue III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we are introduced to more characters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Two updates in a row? Why's that??" Well, if you're wondering, I'm currently procrastinating on writing a report for accounting and this fanfic is a mean of temporary escape. 
> 
> Another thing: I've been rewriting the plot several times over. At first I thought I wanted a randomized killing game, then I didn't, then I thought of it again, and then scratched the idea...you know what I mean. So once the prologue is finished, it might take an indefinite amount of time to release the first Daily Life.

There was this rounded oak two-door doorway that stood out from the others. To be fair, it would have been a bit more accurate to describe it as the most normal looking door Kaede had come across ever since she woke up in this so-called Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles. If one were to just focus on this single door and maybe the windows that accompanied each side, they would never guess that it was part of such a peculiar place. 

With the lack of key holes, it was reasonable to infer that the handles weren’t exactly the locking type. So there was no reason for Kaede not to explore the room on the other side. 

However, it would have been of her benefit to wait a minute or two before attempting to enter. Right when Kaede was about to grab one of the two handles, both of them turned downwards just before they swung outwards towards the pianist. Unfortunately for her, she had been standing too close for comfort. As a result Kaede suffered a (non-fatal, but still inconveniently painful) hit to her forehead which left a sizable red bump on her forehead (nothing permanent, but it would probably stay visible for a while). There was enough momentum to send the girl falling backwards and landing on her ass for the second time that day. 

Kaede placed her hand on the spot of impact and groaned. 

In defense of the blonde musician, she’s usually not the klutzy type of girl. Kaede heavily relied on her ear enhanced hearing, one trait that played a decent role in earning her the title of Ultimate Pianist, among other things. But for some reason, in this mysterious school, she was constantly caught in incidents that normally wouldn’t occur in her normal everyday life. If you were to ask her, Kaede would swear that she heard absolutely _nothing_ on the other side of that door. 

Kaede momentarily worried that she was growing senile, but then she remembered she’s a high school girl in an unfamiliar place inhabited by talking robotic bears. Maybe there was probably some sort of sound-proofing within that room, that’s why she couldn’t detect anything.

Yeah, that’s right. Sound proofing. 

“O-oh my God,” A boy’s voice made its presence before Kaede. “I didn’t know you were-”

“HAAAIIIIIYAAAAHH!!”

She didn’t get the chance to identify the source of the new voice before a flash of navy blue hurled across Kaede’s field of vision, accompanied by a female voice calling out at the top of their lungs. This figure then flipped the other person over and he landed on his back, yelping in pain in a slightly cracked voice. 

Out of pure shock, Kaede instantly jumped to her feet not knowing exactly what happened in front of her. 

The girl did catch a glimpse of the new area. It was your ordinary school cafeteria, with metal tables and fold-up chairs. Nothing of great interest inhabited the room.

Compared to what she witnessed, it was so... _mundane._

A strange girl in a desaturated blue sailor uniform confidently returned to a fighting stance, as if readying for a counterattack. She had quite the athletic build, but not in a way that was super intimidating like a bodybuilder. A green pinwheel bow accompanied her long dark black-brown hair, which was tied into two uniquely shaped pigtails reaching her shins. The sight of knee-high socks matched with _waraji_ sandals would have given one a traditional, nostalgic vibe if they were to ignore how unorthodox (maybe frowned-upon) the choice of fashion was. 

Not that Kaede was paying much attention to the stranger’s sense of style in the first place. 

In fact, the first thing Kaede noticed was how cute she was. Of course, that’s just the kind of person Kaede was-no matter how critical the situation was she could never forget thinking about girls. 

“Tenko was right to suspect you!” The new girl’s voice exclaimed. “Don’t even dare try to lay your hands on her! Tenko swears her honor she will protect all the girls here with my Neo-Aikido!”

 _Aikido?_ Kaede thought. _Then she probably-_

The piano prodigy didn’t bother finishing that thought once she remembered that there was another Ultimate in on the floor. She entered the room in order to get a better look at the fallen student.

“Are you alright?” She asked as she helped the stranger up on his feet.

A skinny boy in what seemed to be a boy’s gakuran high school uniform was the victim of this peculiar encounter. Dark blue hair partially hid his amber-gray eyes, which was also mostly concealed by his black cap. He did not hesitate to adjust his cap in order to further hide his gaze in embarrassment. 

“I’m fine,” he nervously replied. “Actually, I should be the one to-”

“Be vigilant,” the other girl warned Kaede. “You never know when a degenerate male like him would strike next!

“Huh?” The high school boy was noticeably confused. “I would never think about attacking anyone-”

“No, I’m okay, really.” Kaede assured. She still wasn’t quite sure of how to assess the situation at the moment, but she was confident neither of them were bad people. “I’m sure you aren’t that type of person.”

The boy replied with a quiet _thanks,_ which went pretty much ignored by Kaede as her attention was already turned towards the martial artist girl.

“It was an accident,” she stated. “I’m sure he didn’t mean any harm. I don’t think any of the students here are bad people. You might be tense because of what...well, you-know...but if it helps, I want you to know that I’m perfectly fine. Besides, I’m glad we have someone so strong on our side.”

Aikido Girl released her assertive fighting pose, but she kept her eyes peeled on the boy with a cap. 

“You know,” Kaede added. “I think this incident brought something new into light. Normally you would hear a clicking sound of some sort when turning a handle, right? But when I saw the handle tilt, there was nothing. I can guarantee that as the Ultimate Pianist with my hearing ability.”

“You’re a pianist?” Aikido Girl inquired, eyes wide. “That’s amazing! You probably perform at like, super fancy concerts in a gorgeous dress and stuff!”

“Well, yeah, you aren’t wrong,” Kaede couldn’t find any reason to deny that statement. “But it’s not _that_ big of a deal. Meanwhile, you’re this cool martial artist. That was Aikido, right?”

“It’s an original style of Aikido Master and Tenko developed, called Neo-Aikido,” the other girl proudly exclaimed.

“I’ve always had the idea that Aikido practitioners were like...huge, burly men. I didn’t know there were cute girls like you.”

A noticeable blush crossed the martial artists’ cheeks. “T-there’s no way! Tenko's not c-cute,” she stuttered, revealing a surprisingly bashful side to her. “Her nose flares open when she sneezes...A-and, she always have bad breath in the morning, and-”

“And? I still think you’re cute,” Kaede countered, unfazed by the other’s excuses. She then turned to the other stranger. “Isn’t that right?”

The boy in black stood there quite awkwardly, fiddling with his cap. “Um, yeah...I guess,” he responded hesitantly. 

The girl in blue scoffed. “I don’t bother with the empty words of degenerate males.”

“Like, you mean men?” Kaede noticed this was the second time the girl used that phrase. “Are you uncomfortable around men?”

“Well,” the aikido master began. “It’s more like, Tenko gets the sudden urge to throw any male within reach across the room.”

Kaede knew not to pry any further. Hostility between the Ultimates was the last thing she wanted. She needed to switch the topic.

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot,” said Kaede. “It doesn’t seem like I’ve properly introduced myself to you two. My name’s Akamatsu Kaede As you know, I am the Ultimate Pianist.”

Kaede learned about the identity of the individuals that stood before her. The aikido master’s name was Chabashira Tenko, and the quiet boy Saihara Shuichi. 

“Oh, you must be the Ultimate Detective Shirogane mentioned,” said Kaede.

“O-oh no, I’m just a detective-in-training,” Saihara insisted. He then raised an eyebrow. “Why would Shirogane mention me in particular?” he asked.

“To be honest, I don’t really know,” Kaede admitted. “When she did, she was suddenly in a rush. And we were just casually talking to each other beforehand.” 

“Huh,” the detective nodded thoughtfully. “Not that it’s important. I guess I was just curious. Earlier you mentioned something about door locks…?” 

“Right,” Kaede responded. “Those double-doors seem pretty old-fashioned, so there should have been some sort of _click_ or any noise coming from the handle itself or on your side of the entrance.” 

“I don’t know if this helps,” Chabashira added. “But did you see the windows on either side? You can’t see through them.”

So, the windows were tinted.

“I wanna test something out. Akamatsu,” Saihara started. “Is it okay if you go outside for a few seconds? I’m going to knock on the window for a bit and then let you back in. Could you tell me how many times you hear me knock?”

Kaede noticed a sudden assertiveness arise in his voice. “I guess I could,” she replied.

And so, the students conducted their little experiment. 

“Are you sure you knocked on the window? Kaede asked. “I didn’t hear anything.”

“Anything at all?” The detective inquired.

“He probably didn’t do it hard enough,” Chabashira suggested. “Tenko’ll knock on the window, and Saihara-san can go outside.” 

The trio repeated their experiment again, but with Saihara as the supposed responding variable. As for Chabashira, she took a deep breath and stroked at the window as hard as she could. So hard that it worried Kaede.

“Be careful,” said the pianist. “What if you break the glass entirely?”

“That’s not happening,” Chabashira winced in pain. “The thing didn’t even budge. But why…”

“Maybe the window was made that way,” Kaede consulted.

“It’s just as I suspected,” The detective walked back inside. “This room is sound-proofed. And there’s a high probability the others are as well.”

 _For real?_ Kaede thought. This was something Kaede told herself earlier for the sake of keeping her spirits up. She never expected that to be true.

“But why?” The aikido master asked.

“Perhaps,” Saihara began. “It’s to keep people from knowing what occurs from each side of the walls.”

“Oh, Tenko understands!” Chabashira exclaimed understandably. “That would explain why it’s impossible to see through the windows, and why Tenko couldn’t break them.” She let out a relieved sigh. “For a while, Tenko thought her Neo-Aikido was growing weak.”

“But why go through all the trouble,” Saihara placed a hand over his mouth. “One possibility could be that our captors probably plan on doing something to one or more of us. By leaving everyone unattended, we’d naturally spread across the campus. Eventually, someone will be alone and become a potential target. They sound-proofed the walls so we can’t scream or call for help and alert others outside, allowing them to successfully accomplish anything without witnesses.”

The resolution that their captors sound-proofed the walls for that reason worried the pianist. And that wasn’t all. Her mind began to entertain rather insidious possibilities, to say the least. Saihara’s theory sent chills down Kaede’s spine. He may be a detective...and he might be right…but-

“W-what do you mean ‘do something to us,’” Chabashira’s voice interrupted Kaede’s thoughts. “If you’re talking about the thing degenerate males love talking about, Tenko’ll send you flying across the room!”

“Of course not,” Saihara remarked. “Worst case scenario, we might face a mur-”

“RISE AND SHINE, URSINE!”

The familiar catch phrase caught the three Ultimates off guard as five bears popped up right behind Kaede. She swore she’d never get used to this.

“Hold the fuck up, smart-ass,” Monosuke yelled as he struck at his (unplugged) electric guitar. “ _We_ are responsible for plot development! All youse gotta do is sit cha’ pretty-boy ass back, you hear me?!”

“Pretty-huh?!” Saihara said, reasonably disoriented.

“What he _meant,_ ” Monosuke irritably corrected while adjusting his (fake) eyeglasses. “Was that youse three are wasting time with idle chatter when ya got better things to do, like-”

“Knew it,” Kaede wasted no time digging through her white backpack. “These guys are _definitely_ eavesdropping on us. I bet our Monopads are bugged or something.”

The other two followed suit.

“Should we destroy them?” Chabashira was quite appalled. “Who knows what kind of degenerate male peeping tom is spying on innocent girls from-”

“You brats ain’t gonna do _shit,_ ” Monosuke rebutted. Only this time his voice was much louder. “Damaging school property is strictly prohibited, and that includes Monopads.”

“And?” Kaede challenged. “What are you gonna do about it?”

“Whoo boy,” Monokid rubbed his knobby paws together. “This kid’s pushing her luck. Aye Monosuke, what ‘cha think about pulling out one of them bad boys and teaching this music nerd a lesson?”

“But,” Monotaro replied. “I thought father told us not to use the Exisals until he says so?”

“We don’t need _all_ of ‘em,” Monokid reasoned. “Just one of those motherfuckers is enough to dish out musician minced meat, if ya know what I’m talking about!”

That did not sound promising at all.

“But I hate gore,” Monophanie complained. “Just the thought of a mashed-up body makes me wanna...wanna…”

The pink bear then proceeded to vomit.

“Jesus Monophanie,” Monosuke reeled back in disgust. “Doesn’t that shtick get old? At least _try_ holding it in!”

“No way,” Monophanie whined. “It’s one of my few defining character traits! Besides, it’s much healthier to just...let it all out.”

Monokid busted into laughter. “She said ‘let it out!’” 

“I don’t get it,” Monotaro whined. “Can you please explain, ‘Kid? I don’t wanna feel left out…”

“Maybe when you're older, honey,” Monophanie assured.

Monokid groaned. “This is why ‘Taro' s such a _dumb-ass_!” You’re always babying the bastard! Let him grow and learn like a real man!”

This remark led the pink and blue bears to a bickering mess, while Monotaro just stood there looking dazed. All through this, Monodam did not say a word, his presence almost invisible.

“Idiots,” Monosuke muttered. “I am surrounded by a bunch of idiots.” 

A new voice made its appearance.

“Nyeh…” a petite high school girl approached the trio as she rubbed her eyes. “It’s so noisy...what’s going on?”

Kaede looked over Saihara’s shoulder to get a better look at the new stranger. With her short red hair in a bob and her standard high school uniform, she looked relatively normal.

If you were to ignore her over-sized witch hat and curly-toed shoes.

“Yumeno-san!” Chabashira gasped. “T-Tenko is so sorry for waking you up from your nap! What do you need?? A glass of water? A snack? A bathroom break? A massage?” The aikido master bounced around the girl supposedly named Yumeno. Her eagerness reminded Kaede of a child begging their parents to let them help. 

Not too far away, a handful of folding chairs stood side by side. Perhaps they were set up that way for someone to lie down on. The girl in a witch hat really was sleeping this whole time. 

“Nah…” Yumeno replied lethargically. She yawned, her apathetic expression unwavered. “This place has a low mana rate, I can’t gain any more MP here.” Her eyes drifted towards Saihara and Kaede. “Who are they...?”

The two made brief introductions to the small girl, whose full name was Yumeno Himiko. She claimed to be the Ultimate Mage, but, “in a conspiracy to conceal the existence of magic,” she was officially known as the Ultimate Magician. Naturally, Kaede expressed her doubts, which led to Yumeno convincing the pianist that she was, in fact, a real mage for the next five minutes. Sometimes, the corners of Yumeno’s mouth would subtly curl into a slight pout. Chabashira wasted no time gushing over how cute the small girl was, which Kaede could agree on wholeheartedly. Eventually, Kaede gave up and decided to entertain Yumeno by pretending to believe in her magic.

“We’ve become background characters again!” This high-pitched voice belonged to Monophanie. It seems the quarrel between the two-toned bears had died down. The quintet of bear cubs turned towards the now four Ultimates.

“Why are we here again?” Monotaro asked. 

“That’s because-” Monophanie blurted before feeling a threatening gaze from Monosuke’s direction. “W-w-well, we’re here to...do...attendance! Because this is a school! Yeah!” She turned back towards the students. “We’re doing a headcount before starting the Ultimate opening ceremony. You all have one hour left.”

“Attendance is mandatory,” Monosuke added. “And tardiness ain’t gonna be accepted.”

“Akamatsu hasn't even seen half of them!” shouted Monokid. “The hell, are ya also aiming for the title of Ultimate Lazy Ass or somethin’?”

“I’ve been up for _half an hour_!” Kaede protested. “You can’t just kidnap teenagers and then expect us to behave!”

“I dunno ‘Suke,” said a nervous Monotaro. “She has a point…”

“Shuddup!” Monosuke snapped. “Don’tcha remember? We know what to do with conniving brats…”

That couldn’t mean anything good. 

“Oh riiiight,” Monotaro nodded in understanding. “...what was that again?”

As a result, Monokid clocked the red-and-white bear on the back of his head with his guitar. Monophanie rushed to catch the falling Monotaro.

“Poor ‘Taro,” the female bear cried out. “He was too good for this world!”

She then got up to face the bear in blue. “Grr, you have gone too far!” Much to everyone’s surprise, Monophanie held out a paw and unsheathed hidden claws.

“Fuck yeah!” Monokid beat his chest with his knubby paws, ignoring his sister’s sudden break of character. “It’s been forever since I brawled! Make sure you won't regret this, ‘Phanie. I’m goin’ ALL-OUT!”

And so, a physical fist-no, claw fight commenced. Meanwhile, Monotaro peacefully laid on the floor without a care. Monosuke threw his clipboard on the downwards and kicked it in frustration. And Monodam did absolutely nothing, as per usual.

Through the chaos, the four students decided to take advantage of this opportunity and escape the Monokubs’ sight. Kaede made sure to ever-so-slowly close the doors in hopes of not grabbing their attention.

“That was...something,” the pianist managed to get out as she chuckled awkwardly. None of them had any idea what to feel about that spectacle. 

Yumeno stretched. “I still need to recharge my mana,” she lamented. “Here’s no good. I have to go somewhere else, I guess.” The self-acclaimed mage scratched her cheek. “Maybe if I used a navigation spell...”

“Tenko’ll come with you!” Chabashira enthusiastically offered. “Allow me to do the searching! You can’t waste any more precious magical energy!”

Yumeno slowly blinked in response. Afterwards, she started walking down the hallway.

“She said yes!” Chabashira rejoiced. Kaede struggled to comprehend what part of that action was a yes. 

Like a puppy, Chabashira followed after the nonchalant magician. But not before turning back towards the other two. “Well, it looks like Yumeno-san needs Tenko's assistance, so I’ll be going now. It was nice meeting you, Akamatsu-san! And,” she turned towards Saihara, her smile disappearing. “Um, Saihara-san's still a degenerate male in Tenko's eyes, but she doesn't think he's a _degenerate_ degenerate.”

“Thanks...I guess..?” the apprentice detective replied, voice cracking.

Before Kaede knew it, Chabashira and Yumeno were out of sight, leaving the pianist and the detective in awkward silence.

Awkward silence and Kaede Akamatsu don’t mix.

“So...” Kaede began to speak.

“I-I have to go,” Saihara cut her off. Although he was facing her, for some reason Saihara suddenly couldn’t look Kaede in the eye again. He just gripped the brim of his cap. “There’s something I need to check…”

“Well, don’t let me stop you!” Kaede responded warmly. In return, Saihara gave a tight-lipped smile accompanied with a nod and left, keeping his head tilted slightly downward. Kaede waved goodbye, even though she knew the boy probably wouldn’t see.

The Monopad in her bag chimed thrice. Except this time, Kaede didn't even bother checking that thing.

_Chabashira Tenko_

_Height: 165 cm_

_Weight: 52 kg_

_Birth date: January 9_

_Chest size: 88cm_

_Blood type: B_

_Likes:_ _Nun-chucks_

_Dislikes: Men_

_Talent: Ultimate Aikido Master_

_Saihara Shuichi_

_Height: 171 cm_

_Weight: 58 kg_

_Birth date: September 7_

_Chest size: 80 cm_

_Blood type: AB_

_Likes: Novels_

_Dislikes: Gossip_

_Talent: Ultimate Detective_

_Yumeno Himiko_

_Height: 150 cm_

_Weight: 39 kg_

_Birth date: December 3_

_Chest size: 68 cm_

_Blood type: O_

_Likes: Small spaces_

_Dislikes: The ocean_

_Talent: Ultimate Magician_

She's back to a one-woman party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While we're at it, Monotaro is best Monokub.


	5. Prologue IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the moments leading up to the student's despair are recorded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, its mei!
> 
> I know it's been almost a month since the last update. Admittingly, I can't escape my piling coursework forever, so I actually got that done. Maybe I could have scored higher than a B minus, but I honestly couldn't care enough to put more effort.
> 
> Now watch me fail to learn my lesson and ignore the looming final exam dates by writing fanfiction as a means of escapism!

Akamatsu Kaede had two choices.

Option A: Meet the rest of the captives.

Option B: Prioritize investigation.

Preferably, Kaede wanted to focus on looking for clues-or any remotely helpful information-that would aid her and the others in escape. As outgoing as she was, the girl understood the severity of her situation. Kaede didn’t want to waste time socializing. Were the circumstances any different and less...for lack of better words, life-threatening, the normally bubbly pianist wouldn’t hesitate to befriend and build connections with her fellow Ultimates. In retrospect, meeting other prodigies like herself was a rare opportunity. After all, these high school students of extraordinary ability were scarcely scattered across every corner of Japan.

On the other hand, Kaede experienced not one, but two instances in which she came excruciatingly close to a breakthrough, only to be yanked out of reach by the Monokubs (who acted more or less like a dysfunctional family pretending to be a disciplinary committee). Kaede couldn’t risk raising their suspicion a third time. Not to mention she wasn’t exactly looking forward to discovering the kind of punishment they used on the defiant. 

Besides, it would be of use to get a good idea to meet everyone. After all, they needed to work together if they wanted any hope of escaping.

Without any better ideas, she went with the first option. Looks like she was gonna play obedient and do what she was told. At least for the meantime.

_ Mur...mur...mur… _

This single syllable spoken by Saihara echoed in the back of her mind. It didn’t take a detective to find out what the boy was notioning at. 

The possibility of death completely flipped the musician’s attitude in regards to the ominous academy. 

Less than an hour remained. Precious time that allowed Kaede the independence to freely wander her confindings (if one were to ignore the constraint of animatronic bears that may or may not be recording her every move). Who knows what would happen once the last second disappeared, and the supposedly mandatory “opening ceremony” commenced? 

Worst-case scenario, it’d be a game over.

Kaede hated herself for thinking like this. She couldn’t afford a dent in her armor of hope and optimism to render her vulnerable, especially in here of all places. 

Thus, the high school girl bottled these negative feelings as she scouted the main floor in search of the other students. Not that anyone could really notice, but Kaede’s movements were slightly more frantic, her walking sped a tiny bit faster and her heart rate barely increased. 

The classmates of the Ultimate Pianist were quite the crowd. Kaede had never seen a diverse palette of personalities gathered in one place. One can be certain that Kaede did not hesitate to compliment every cute girl she saw (especially fawning over an elegant maid in particular). Sure, there were a few that she didn’t exactly make the best impression on (such as a loud-mouthed inventor looking to get high and a robot that accused her of robophobia), but out of everyone she met so far, there wasn’t a single person she could find herself hating. If Kaede tried hard enough, she could forget about the anxiety forming at the pit of her stomach, maybe even relax a bit.

And just maybe, everyone could become friends once they got out of here.

The idea somewhat helped lift the girl’s spirits. She headed towards the south exit, the courtyard as a destination in mind.

What greeted Kaede beyond the rusted doors was a sight that left her wide-eyed with shock.

A giant cage wall encircled the whole entire campus. There was no telling how high the entrapment went, for its metal bars seemed to reach too far into the sky for anyone to see the top. The knot of anxiety, which was small enough to ignore a minute ago, rapidly increased in size with each wave of stress that knocked against Kaede.

_ No no no no no no no- _

She began screaming at the top of her lungs without a second thought. “Help! We’re trapped in here! Help! Please, somebody save us!!” Even as her voice weakened and her throat started to strain, Kaede didn’t stop her cries for help. Before long the pianist collapsed on her knees.

_ This can’t be happening. _

_ This can’t be happening. _

_ This can’t be happening. _

_ This can’t be happening. _

_ THIS CAN’T BE HAPPEN- _

“You’re only going to tire yourself out, y’know,” An unfamiliar, deep voice reached the girl’s ears. Kaede looked up.

A tall teenage boy with a mop of green hair held out a hand adorned with jewelry. His slightly bent-over figure partially blocked the shining sun like an eclipse. Kaede instinctively took the stranger’s hand as she got back on her feet.

Kaede took a moment to catch her breath. Within that time, she got a better look at the mysterious figure. In a dark blue top and brown cargo pants, he was one of the few within the caged campus not wearing a uniform. However, he still looked young enough to be in high school. Must be one of the other students. 

“Feeling better?” he asked after Kaede’s breathing reached a much slower, relaxed rate. 

“Um, yeah,” she replied. “Thanks..”

“No problem.”

Once Kaede regained a bit of energy, she began yelling once more.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey-” the green-haired individual confronted the panicked pianist and placed both hands on her shoulder in an attempt to calm Kaede down. “There’s no point, alright? No one outside can hear us!”

Kaede refused to cease her shouting.

“Shit, what’s goin’ on?” Another voice presented itself. “Heard some chick scream...HEY-”

A flash of purple knocked the boy in front of Kaede to the side, forcing him to release his grip. He stumbled and put a palm to his mouth. Drops of blood oozed between his fingers.

“What the-” the injured boy began.

“THE FUCK YOU LAYING YOUR HANDS ON A GIRL FOR?!” Another student with bright purple hair spiked upwards demanded as he readied his fist for another hit.

Kaede suddenly realized what may have caused this other stranger to lash out in the first place. This was the second time today violence commenced from a misunderstanding.

“Wait, wait!” Kaede quickly called out as she ran between the two, desperate to calm the tension. “This is a misunderstanding, alright? It’s not what you think it is.” The girl rushed over to the kid doubled-over to check on his well-being.

“Oh gosh,” Kaede gasped. “Are you alright?!”

“Don't...sweat it,” the green-haired student tried to answer nonchalantly, only to fail miserably.

“What do you mean, ‘don’t sweat it?’” You’re bleeding!”

…

“Sorry ‘bout your lip man,” the guy in purple scratched his head. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I told you, it’s all good,” the other boy insisted through the ice pack (a plastic bag filled with ice cubes) held against his mouth. “‘Sides, I prolly would have done the same thing.”

The young man was surprisingly calm, for someone that just went through several bloody tissues.

The two were now sitting on metal folding chairs in the school cafeteria (the Monokubs have long since ended their fight). Meanwhile, Kaede was in the kitchen nearby with a girl in a red sailor school uniform, thigh highs and long black pigtails. With their luck, the two had come across a first aid kit.

“Thank goodness you were around,” Kaede gratefully exclaimed. “If it were up to me, I probably would have panicked and made things worse.”

The other girl didn’t answer.

“Um,” Kaede added. “Sorry you had to go through all the trouble. I didn’t even properly introduce myself. I’m Akamatsu Kaede the Ultimate Pianist.”

“...Harukawa Maki. SHSL Child Caregiver.” The girl in red responded, albeit much less enthusiastically.

“Oh,” the pianist beamed. “That explains how you knew exactly what to do.”

“Surprised?” Harukawa asked. “Think I don’t seem like a caregiver?”

“N-no,” Kaede admitted. “I mean, aren’t kids intuitive? I bet kids must like you a lot.”

The black-haired girl did not bother to look at Kaede as she picked up the aid kit. “They’re just kids, it’s not like they know any better,” she let out a slightly irritated sigh. “Let’s just get this over and done with.”

Kaede followed after the teenage caretaker in reluctant silence.

Seeing the injured boy sent another wave of guilt over Kaede.

“I’m so sorry!” the blonde pianist apologized for the seventh time in a row. “It’s all my fault...I caused this misunderstanding between you guys.”

“I told you, it’s fine,” the bleeding teen replied. He tried to grin in reassurance despite the gauze Harukawa was applying at the moment. In retaliation, the caregiver pressed down on his wound even harder, causing him to wince.

“You heard him,” the other guy added. “You shouldn’t beat yourself over it, um…” he paused. “I don’t exactly know what to call you.”

_ Oh, right. _

After introducing herself, Kaede learned the identity of the young man with purple gelled-up hair and goatee; Momota Kaito, the SHSL Astronaut.

“Nice to meet you Akamatsu,” said the green-haired boy after Harukawa was finished bandaging him. “My name is Amami Rantarou,” Amami scratched his head in embarrassment. “Funny thing is, I don’t exactly remember my SHSL talent.”

_ Huh? _

“Man, how do you forget something like that?” Momota asked.

“I know, right?” Amami agreed. “No matter how hard I try, my mind just pulls a blank. Why would I forget something so important?” 

“Aren’t you concerned?” Akamatsu questioned. “I know I’d be.”

“That’s the thing,” Amami stated. “For some reason, I’m not too worried about it. Seems kinda weird, huh?” He laughed. “An amnesiac not worrying about a lost identity...Oh, but I promise you I’m not a bad guy.”

_ Not that she thought so to begin with.  _

The pad in her backpack chimed three times more. This time around, Kaede didn’t even bother checking the device, knowing she met the last of the sixteen hostages.

_ Amami Rantarou _

_ Height: 179 cm _

_ Weight: 62 kg _

_ Birth Date: October 3 _

_ Chest size: 82 cm _

_ Blood type: B _

_ Likes: Extraterritorial rights _

_ Dislikes: Cars _

_ Talent: SHSL ??? _

_ Momota Kaito _

_ Height: 184 cm _

_ Weight: 74 kg _

_ Birth Date: April 12 _

_ Chest Size: 90 cm _

_ Blood type: O _

_ Likes: House plants _

_ Dislikes: The occult _

_ Talent: SHSL Astronaut _

_ Harukawa Maki _

_ Height: 162 cm _

_ Weight: 44 kg _

_ Birth date: February 2 _

_ Chest size: 77 cm _

_ Blood type: A _

_ Likes: Morning lake shores _

_ Dislikes: Winter lake shores _

_ Talent: SHSL Child Caregiver _

“Gosh, Akamatsu,” a familiar voice taunted. “Why are you always around whenever there’s trouble?” 

The girl turned around. Large purple eyes met hers.

A character that obviously needed no introduction has appeared. 

The short drama king let out an exaggerated gasp. “Oh my dearest Amami-chan,” He placed both hands on either side of Amami’s face, squishing his cheeks. “What did the piano idiot do to you??”

Ouma turned back to Kaede. “Well?” His voice suddenly grew demanding. “What have you done, Akamatsu Kaede?”

“I-”

“Uh-uh-uh-uh,” the little shit interrupted. “Nevermind, forget I asked. I don’t need to hear your excuses. You should be ashamed of yourself!”

Kaede suddenly garnered much more respect for the SHSL Child Caregiver and her ability to deal with brats like him. She was also well aware Ouma was just messing with her, but couldn’t help herself from being frustrated.

“Hey now,” Amami calmly interjected. “The whole thing was a freak accident, and it’s just a small cut. Don’t be too fussy, ‘kay?”

The gremlin returned an angelic smile towards Amami’s direction. His sudden changes in demeanor could give anyone whiplash. “You have nothing to worry about, Akamatsu-chan and I are the  _ best _ of friends!”

If the boy’s reputation wasn’t enough, the look on Kaede’s face only further exposed the lack of integrity in his statement.

“That’s a lie,” Ouma admitted, and Kaede found herself subtly mouthing those exact words as she rolled her eyes. If the boy clad in white saw the mocking gesture, it did not show it on his face.

“Soooo…” he turned back towards the pianist’s direction. “How’s the preparation for the Grand Escape so far? Did you find a way out yet?”

It’s only been a little over an hour since Kaede made that declaration. 

“That’s awesome Akamatsu,” Momota jutted in, giving a thumbs up. “As expected from a sidekick of mine!”

Kaede never agreed to be his sidekick.

Ouma caught sight of the teen astronaut. “Why are you here?” He said deadpanned.

“Why can’t I be here?!” the spiky-haired student demanded.

“Like I said, your answer?” Ouma ignored the clearly offended astronaut.

The spotlight was back on the pianist.

“W-well,” Kaede touched her two index fingers together. “I don’t exactly have anything  _ concrete  _ laid out, but if all of us work together I’m sure we can make do!”

“...so you  _ don’t  _ know what you’re gonna do,” said the supreme leader.

“ _ Yet!  _ I’m just saying I’m just saying I have confidence in our abilities as Ultimates is all.”

“Confidence is key,” Momota agreed, clasping his two fists together. “You can’t let a little mind-rut get in your way. The impossible is possible, all-”

“‘-all you gotta do is make it so.’” Ouma rolled his eyes. “Is that like, your only catchphrase?” “This is the third time I’ve heard you say that today.”

“Don’t underestimate the power of motivation, Ouma. This Luminary of the Stars has boosted the morale of countless individuals near the brink of despair!”

“‘Boosting morale’ is all you two can do anyway. Empty promises are nothing without action.”

“You-”

“No one’s putting any pressure on you,” Amami jumped in before the two could quarrel any further. “There’s no need to put the whole burden on your shoulders, Akamatsu.”

“You can definitely rely on me,” Momota chimed in, seemingly forgetting about getting back at the small boy. “It’s a hero’s duty to help his sidekick in trouble!”

“You heard ‘em,” Ouma patted Kaede’s head, despite being almost half a foot shorter. “Leave the thinking to the adults, alright Akamatsu-chan?”

Kaede pouted and crossed her arms. She knew the amnesiac and the astronaut meant well, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that all three of them were mocking her. 

_ “Ding, dong, bing, bong,”  _ What sounded like a school bell echoed throughout the academy. The noise started a capped boy dressed in midnight blue from head to toe. Apparently, Saihara was with the space enthusiast the whole time.

The piano prodigy hated to admit it, but she never noticed the detective until that moment.

A hanging monitor adorned with speakers lit up to show five color-coded stuffed bears.

_ “The opening ceremony can finally begin! Everyone, please make your way to the gym. So long, bear-well!” _

Gradually, the students trickled into the halls of the Ultimate Academy. A few of the students even started forming into small groups, as if they were at a normal high school.

“Come onnn, Amami-chan! I wanna get front row seats!”

“Aye, Saihara! There’s my sidekick!”

“Akamatsu!-san! Tenko and Yumeno-san are over here!”

It was a collective instinct the majority of today’s teens shared. The blonde even found herself being absorbed into a miniature clique of her own. 

Kaede swallowed the lump in her throat. From a distance, the small crowd looked care-free and relatively relaxed. One might even forget they’re hostages. However, the pianist knew this couldn’t be any farther from the truth. Their baseless chatter masked the tension and uncertainty enveloping the atmosphere. Each individual struggled to conceal their growing anxiety. Every stride brought these kids one step closer to an unknown fate. 

For all they knew, this could either be the start of the students’ salvation…

...or the Ultimates were walking a death march.


End file.
